"This is really a supplemental tool to enhance the soldiers' training," said 2nd Lt. Bryan Schmidt, of the 3rd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment.

Schmidt said scheduling live training sometimes is difficult as other units are competing for ranges, equipment, bullets and vehicles.

In the safety of the gaming world, Schmidt can run his soldiers through a variety of scenarios that are only limited by the imagination.

"If we can't get out there, this is a good alternative," Schmidt said.

An alternative that's about to get better.

In January, Fort Stewart will get an updated computerized training program that trainers said will make the current system's graphics look like something from Nintendo 64.

Meanwhile, in another two weeks, Schmidt's soldiers will take the skills honed here and put them to use in a simulation at a live-fire house on post. The training session will include Blackhawks and Apaches from Hunter Army Airfield.

But on this Thursday morning, the training is limited to 54 computers lined up in two platoon groupings.

The "enemy" consists of four civilian contractors sitting behind a temporary cubical wall on the far side of the room where a separate bank of computers has been set up.

"We'll shoot next to them or over their heads," said Jeff Eastlake, one of the trainer aides, taking a break from the scenario.

If a trainer takes out an entire vehicle or platoon, the training session ends and the soldiers don't learn from the technology-based experience, Josh Mattos said.

"We're really here to die and show (the soldiers) how to improve," Eastlake agreed.

A fake mistake

The two men return to their game.

"Have they called for a medevac yet?" Mattos asks.

"I see tracers," Eastlake warns.

"Oh, I'm hit," Mattos says. "Damn."

Within minutes, all four trainers are dead men.

A few minutes later, the medevac emerges on the large computer screen and immediately goes down in a fiery blast.

The digital soldiers took out their own bird.

The trainers chuckle.

It's not a laughing matter on the other side of the wall.

Staff Sgt. Alex Cline is giving his Bravo Company men some serious attitude for shooting down the medevac.

"If you don't do this right this time, we'll go out in the grass and do things right out there," Cline barks during a session recap. "No taking out farmers or chickens or anything else. Got it?"

"This was only their second time in here, so we're still letting them get a feel for the system," Cline said. "It's different when you're sitting at a keyboard versus down range when your platoon leader is telling you what to do."

At the same time, Cline wants to see his men perform as if this were a real-world scenario.

"We don't want to waste our time and taxpayers' dollars," he said. "We can play video games in the barracks."